1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and device for cleaning teeth.
2. Description of Related Art
It is generally known that regular cleaning of the teeth is a condition for preventing tooth decay and periodontitis. There are two common teeth-cleaning methods here, i.e. brushing and flossing.
Most widespread is brushing of the teeth using a toothbrush. Relatively large areas of the teeth can in general be adequately cleaned herewith. However, brushing with a brush is less suitable for cleaning of the spaces between the teeth and the gum line between teeth, while it is precisely in such spaces that food remnants will collect which can result in the occurrence of tooth decay and periodontitis.
It is per se known to clean these spaces using a special, very narrow and sharp toothbrush, a so-called interdental brush. The use of such an interdental brush can however easily result in damage and/or inflammation of the gums. This is particularly the case when the spaces for cleaning are small, as will be case with young people.
Flossing is therefore especially suitable for cleaning the spaces between teeth and the gum line between teeth. A thin thread is herein moved reciprocally between the teeth and round the necks of the teeth. The problem with flossing is that it is a relatively complicated operation which is often only carried out reluctantly. Flossing, in contrast to brushing, is moreover not simple to perform with an electrical appliance.
Different aids have already been proposed with which the flossing treatment can be simplified. Such an aid in which all the measures of the preamble of claim 3 are combined is for instance described in U.S. Design Pat. No. D 358,001. The cleaning tool described therein consists of two sticks, between the ends of which a floss thread is spanned. In order to fasten the floss thread, the ends of the floss sticks are each provided with a protruding end disc. This involves the risk of damaging the gums. Furthermore, a new length of floss thread has to be spanned between the sticks at every use, which is awkward and time-consuming work. Finally, the floss thread is not easy to release in such a device if it becomes stuck.
Known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,050,470 and 4,926,820 are aids which consist of two elongate members between which a length of thread can be spanned. These aids have the drawback that a user must always reach into his/her mouth with a hand. There is also the drawback with these aids that a floss thread stuck between the teeth cannot be easily released.
Further known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,799,177 and 5,323,796 are electrically driven flossing devices which consist of a handle with a drive therein and two arms protruding therefrom between which a flossing thread is movable. A manually operated variant of these devices is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,598. All these Y-shaped or U-shaped devices have the drawback that a floss thread which is stuck cannot be released quickly, while the devices are moreover relatively large and so cannot be readily placed into the mouth. In addition, there is also the risk, as a result of the often unstable construction of these devices, that they make unintended movements, which could result in injury to the mouth.